The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt is a household name in the RPG scene and also the title that shot developer CD Projekt RED into the truly mainstream limelight. The open-world action RPG has been attracting players since its 2015 debut thanks to the studios’ penchant for immersive storytelling, rich lore, and engaging gameplay.
What is the story of The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt?
Taking place on The Continent, players step into the shoes of Geralt of Rivia, a hardened monster-slaying mutant or Witcher, who roams the lands hunting monsters and beasts as mercenary work. When his adoptive daughter Ciri gets kidnapped by the titular Wild Hunt, he must embark on a dangerous journey across a war-torn land to track her down - while also dealing with unforeseen threats and revelations that put the fate of the world at risk.
The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt gameplay
It is an action RPG game played from a third-person view. Players control Geralt across an open-world environment, starting from the early hours of White Orchard to the far Skellige Isles across the waters. Armed with two swords, each steel and silver respectively, players will take up contracts and help people in need in exchange for coin.
Gameplay ranges from investigating crime scenes using Geralt’s superhuman Witcher Senses and slaying powerful monsters in hack-and-slash action combat, to engaging in narrative-driven decision-making that can drastically shape the outcome of the storyline. In addition to genre staples like armor and leveling, Geralt also has access to magic called Signs which have both combat and utility purposes.
He must also ready his oils, potions, and other consumables before facing threats. The world of The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt is teeming with detail around every corner, but also danger in the form of monster nests, caves, bandit camps, dungeons, and more - many of which feature materials to gather for weapon crafting, alchemy, and even rare loot, like weapons.
Exploration is also encouraged, with quests encountered organically across each region; from solving basic monster hunting contracts and murder investigations to romance and bigger moral dilemmas, there is no shortage of surprise and wonder in The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt.
The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt DLC
Developer CD Projekt RED released two DLC story expansions after the game’s 2015 launch:
- Hearts of Stone: Taking a darker shift in tone from the base game, the first DLC expansion sees Geralt become entangled between the charming Olgierd von Everec and the enigmatic Gaunter O’Dimm. It was released in October 2015.
- Blood & Wine: Set in a brand-new, cozy region, Geralt arrives in Toussaint to solve the series of murders performed by a bloodthirsty beast terrorizing the kingdom. The DLC dropped in May 2016.
The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt platforms
The game, including all DLC released thus far, is available across all modern gaming platforms, including PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and also the Nintendo Switch.
The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt next-gen update
Released in 2022, CD Projekt RED introduced a next-gen patch free of cost for all owners of the base game. It enhances the experience with the inclusion of improved graphics and performance, namely raytracing for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, as well as 60 FPS for the consoles. While these bells and whistles do not make it to PS4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch, those platforms do get the other goodies such as new armor and weapon sets, a new questline, and cosmetics inspired by The Witcher Netflix series as well as general bug fixes and quality-of-life gameplay tweaks.
The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt system requirements
With the introduction of the next-gen update, the recommended system requirements for The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt on PC have been raised slightly:
- Minimum
- OS: Windows 7/8
- CPU: Intel Core i5-2500K @3.3GHz or AMD A10-5800K @3.8GHz
- Memory: 6 GB RAM
- Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 660 or AMD Radeon HD 7870
- DirectX: Version 11
- Storage: 50 GB available space
- Recommended
- OS: Windows 10/11
- CPU: Intel Core i5-7400 @3.5GHz or AMD Ryzen 5 1600 @3.2GHz
- Memory: 8 GB RAM
- Graphics: Nvidia GeForce GTX 1070 or AMD Radeon RX 480
- DirectX: Version 12
- Storage: 50 GB available space
The Witcher 3 next-gen trailer
FAQs on The Witcher 3
Yes. The Witcher 3 Wild Hunt is lauded as one of the best RPGs ever, and for good reason. Developer CD Projekt RED crafted a world rich with atmosphere and believable characters, even down to the non-human ones. Paired with a stellar soundtrack, breathtaking visuals, and deep questlines, and The Witcher 3 stands the test of time as a solid RPG experience.
With the latest next-gen update, the game is at about 50-60 GB in size on PC as well as consoles. The Nintendo Switch version is an exception, coming in at a smaller 40 GB size.
No. The game has always been a premium paid experience across all platforms, including PC.
